Electric knife support



Jan. 24, 1967 J. F. DANIELS ET AL ELECTRIC KNIFE SUPPORT Filed July 2,1965 INVENTORS Arrow/5y United States Patent 3,300,264 ELECTRIC KNIFESUPPORT John F. Daniels and David R. Locke, Bridgeport, Conn., assignorsto Sperry Rand Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of DelawareFiled July 2, 1965, Ser. No. 469,247 6 Claims. (Cl. 312279) Thisinvention relates to new and useful improvements in storage and displaydevices for portable appliances and more particularly to a storage anddisplay device for housing a power operated knife.

Storage and display devices for housing power operated knives when notin use are well known. It is the usual practice in the manufacture ofthese devices to provide a unit comprising a stand having a base sectionprovided with spaced receptacles open at the top thereof for housingtherein, in spaced upright positions, the handle and detachable bladesof the knife. Means are also usually provided whereby the stand may bedisposed in an upright position on a countertop or the like. Further, inpower operated knives of the type having a self-contained replenishablepower supply, such as a rechargeable battery disposed within the handle,it is known to provide charging means within the stand for connection tothe handle for recharging the battery when the handle is placed into itsreceptacle in the unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel and compactstorage and display device for a portable appliance.

Another object is to provide a comp-act storage and display devicehaving novel structure for accommodating a power operated knife and acarving board for use with the knife.

Another object is to provide a storage and display unit wherein novelmeans are provided for accommodating a carving board Within the unit andwhich means does not interfere with other mechanisms of the unit normaterially increase the size of the unit.

A still further object is to provide a novel storage and display unitfor a power operated knife adapted to accommodate a carving boardtherein wherein means are provided to cooperate with means on the boardfor permitting ready access to the board in any of several selectedpositions thereof within the unit.

The present invention contemplates a novel storage and display unit fora portable appliance. In one embodiment, the unit is used for housing apower operated knife and is provided with a base section havingreceptacles therein for storing the handle and detachable blades of theknife. A vertical wall projects upwardly from the base portion and isprovided with rearwardly extending flanges. A rear closure wall isconnected to the spaced flanges to provide a compartment between the twowalls for accommodating therein a carving board conforming inconfiguration to the area of the compartment and adapted for slidingmovement into and out of the compartment. In addition, means areprovided in the unit which cooperate with surface portions of thecarving board to selectively position the board substantially flush withthe upper edge of the vertical wall or in a position whereat the boardprojects slightly above the upper edge of the vertical wall of the unitfor ready removal.

The above and other objects and advantages of the present invention willappear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of thedetaileddescription which follows taken together with the accompanyingdrawing wherein one embodiment is illustrated.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a storage and display unit whichincorporates the present invention;

Patented Jan. 24, 1967 FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of the storageand display unit with portions of the rear closure wall broken away toshow a carving board in mounted position therein;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the storage and display unit of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an exploded rear perspective view of the storage unit; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the lower portion ofthe closure wall.

Referring now to the drawing for a more detailed description of thepresent invention and more particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 wherein oneembodiment thereof is clearly illustrated, a portable appliance storageand display unit is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10.Storage and display unit 10 is of the type adapted to house therein apower operated knife handle and blades therefor which are shown inbroken line outline in FIG. 1 and genenally indicated by the referencenumerals 11 and 12, respectively.

Storage and display unit 10 comprises a main body portion preferablyformed of premolded plastic material and which body portion includes agenerally box-shaped base or lower portion 14 (FIG. 1) having a top wall15, a bottom wall 16 and spaced side walls 17. Spaced recessed portionsor receptacles 18 and 19, respectively, are formed in base portion 14between front edge 20 and rear edge 21 of top wall 15. Receptacles 18and 19 are adapted to house therein handle 11 and blade 12 in a wellknown manner to store the latter in an upright position when not in use.

Handle 11 may be of the type having a replenishable power source such asa rechargeable battery (not shown). To this end, a transformer 22 (shown:as a box in FIG. 4) of any well known type is mounted on a platform portion 23 disposed between top wall 15 and bottom wall 16 of base section14. Electric contact members 24 (FIG. 3) :having suitable connections(not shown) with transformer 22 are disposed on a wall of receptacle 18(FIG. 3) and are adapted to engage contacts (not shown) on handle 11 ina well known manner when handle 11 is housed in receptacle 18 toestablish a charging circuit between transformer 22 and handle 11. Asuitable power cord 25 (FIGS. 3 and 4) from transformer 22 adapted forplug-in connection to a wall outlet is stored in a compartment 25abetween platform 23 and bottom wall 16 of base section 14.

As mentioned, it is a feature of the present invention to provide novelmeans for providing storage area within unit 10 for the purposes ofhousing appurtenances of a.

power operated knife. To this end, a vertical wall portion 26 (FIG. 1)is provided on unit 10 which projects upwardly from rear edge 21 of topwall 15 of base portion 14 and which Wall 26 is provided with resilientclip members 27 attached to the front face thereof for reoeiving theupper portion of blades 12.

Spaced side flanges 28 and 29 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4) respectively, ofinverted U-shaped configuration are formed on the rear surface ofvertical wall 26. A closure wall 30 of rigid material, as for examplesheet metal, is attached to flanges 2829 by screws 31 (one shown in FIG.2) connected to threaded fittings 32 in flanges 28-29. Closure wall 30and vertical wall 26 which are spaced one from the other by flanges 2829provide therebetween a box-shaped compartment 33 open at the top of unit10. As seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, a carving board 35' for use with the poweroperated knife is disposed within compartment 33 and which board 35 hasspaced side walls 36 and 37 (FIG. 2) in sliding engagement with theadjacent surfaces of flanges 28 and 29.

Stop tabs 38 are pressed inwardly at the bottom of closure wall 30 andin a lowermost position of board 35 in compartment 33 as shown in FIG. 2are adapted to engage the surface of spaced cut-01f corner portions 39on bottom edge 40 of board 35. In this position, the opposite or upperedge 41 of board 35 is substantially flush with top edge 26a of verticalwall 26 with a recessed finger gripping area or handle 43 of board 35positioned above the upper edge 30a of closure wall 30 whereby board 35may be grasped and readily slid into and out of compartment 33 when unit10 is disposed on a countertop or the like.

If the storage unit 10 is suspended from a wall, it will be appreciatedthat difliculties may arise in grasping carving board 35 for removalfrom compartment 33 in the previous-1y described position Whereat edge41 thereof is substantially flush with upper edge 26a of wall 26. Tofacilitate removal of board 35 when unit 10 is suspended from a wall,board 35 is removed from compartment 33 and reinserted in the postionshown in FIG. 4 whereby upper straight edge portion 41, rather thanbottom edge 40, is inserted into compartment 33 to engage stop tabs 38.In this manner edge 40 of board 35 is thus positioned above edge 26a ofvertical wall 26 whereat a second recessed finger gripping area orhandle 46 may be grasped to slide board 35 into or out of compartment33.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the storage unithas many advantages in use. Among other advantages, economical and novelmeans are disclosed for providing additional storage space within astorage unit and which means do not interfere with the appliance storedtherein or other mechanisms of this storage unit.

Although one embodiment of the present invention has been illustratedand described in detail, it is to be expressly understood that theinvention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made in thedesign and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit andthe scope of the invention as the same will now be understood by thoseskilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

1. An appliance storage and display unit for housing a power operatedknife handle, blades, and a carving board thereon comprising (a) a baseof said unit having spaced recessed portions formed therein and ofsuflicient depth to accommodate ends of a power operated knife handleand blades to hold same but yet providing for visual display of thehandle and blades,

(b) a vertically disposed wall extending from said base,

() blade holding means arranged on said wall for holding the other endsof the blades, and

(d) a compartment formed in said wall and extending into said base foraccommodating a carving board.

2. An appliance storage and display unit for housing a power operatedknife handle, blades and carving board thereon, said unit comprising,

(a) a base of said unit having spaced recessed portions formed thereinof suflicient depth to accommodate ends of a power operated knife,handle and blades to hold same yet providing for visual display of thehandle and blades,

(b) a vertically disposed wall extending from said base,

(0) blade holding means arranged on said vertical wall for holding theother ends of the blades,

((1) flange portions on spaced side edges of said vertical wall,

(e) a closure wall connected to said spaced flange portions to provide acompartment between said Walls to accommodate there-in a carving board.

3. An appliance storage and display unit for housing a power operatedknife handle, blades and carving board thereon, said unit comprising,

(a) a box-shaped base portion of said unit having spaced recessedportions formed therein between upper front and rear edges thereof toaccommodate l the ends of a power operated knife handle and blades tohold same but yet providing for visual display of the handle and blades,(b) a vertical wall projecting upwardly from the rear edge of said baseportion,

(0) spaced and parallel rearwardly extending flange portions on oppositeside edges of said vertical wall, and

(d) a closure wall connected to said spaced flange portions to provide:a compartment between said walls to accommodate therein a carving boardmember adapted for sliding movement between said walls into and out ofsaid compartment.

4. An appliance storage and display unit for housing a power operatedknife handle, blades and carving board thereon, said unit comprising,

(a) a box-shaped base portion of said unit having spaced recessedportions formed therein between upper front and rear edges thereof toaccommodate the ends of a power operated knife handle and blades,

(b) a vertical wall projecting upwardly from the rear edge of said baseportion,

(c) spaced and parallel rearwardly extending flange portions on oppositeside edges of said vertical Wall,

(d) a closure wall detachably connected to said spaced flange portionsto provide a compartment between said walls to accommodate therein acarving board adapted for sliding movement into and out of thecompartment, and

(e) stop means provided within said compartment to engage and positionthe carving board at predetermined elevated position therein.

5. The unit of claim 4 wherein said stop means comprise tab projectionson said closure Wall bent inwardly in the direction of said verticalWall.

6. An appliance storage and display unit for housing a power operatedknife handle, blades and carving board in spaced relationship thereon,said unit comprising,

(a) a box-shaped base portion having spaced recessed portions formedbetween upper front and rear edges thereof of suflicient depth toaccommodate ends of a power operated knife handle and blades to hold thesame but yet providing for visual display of the handle and blades,

1b) a vertical wall extending from said base portion,

(0) spaced rearwardly extending vertical flange portions provided onspaced side edges of said vertical wall,

((1) a closure wall connected to said vertical wall,

(e) said spaced flange portions spacing said closure wall from saidvertical wall to provide a compartment between said walls to accommodatea carving board adapted for movement between said walls into and out ofsaid compartment,

(f) stop means provided on said closure wall adapted to engage firstedge portions of one end of said carving board in a first position ofsaid board in the compartment whereby said board is disposed flush withthe upper edge of said vertical wall, and

(g) said stop means further adapted to engage second edge portions ofthe opposite end of said board when said board is inverted in saidcompartment whereby said one end is exposed above the upper edge of saidvertical wall for ready removal from the compartment.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,981,674 11/1934Solomon 312245 X 7 2,386,489 10/1945 McKellar 20616 X

1. AN APPLIANCE STORAGE AND DISPLAY UNIT FOR HOUSING A POWER OPERATEDKNIFE HANDLE, BLADES, AND A CARVING BOARD THEREON COMPRISING (A) A BASEOF SAID UNIT HAVING SPACED RECESSED PORTIONS FORMED THEREIN AND OFSUFFICIENT DEPTH TO ACCOMODATE ENDS OF A POWER OPERATED KNIFE HANDLE ANDBLADES TO HOLD SAME BUT YET PROVIDING FOR VISUAL DISPLAY OF THE HANDLEAND BLADES, (B) A VERTICALLY DISPOSED WALL EXTENDING FROM SAID BASE, (C)BLADE HOLDING MEANS ARRANGED ON SAID WALL FOR HOLDING THE OTHER ENDS OFTHE BLADES, AND (D) A COMPARTMENT FORMED IN SAID WALL AND EXTENDING INTOSAID BASE FOR ACCOMODATING A CARVING BOARD.